The stellar record Rahane maintained as captain has triggered a debate among sports fans and former pros regarding his leadership style versus Virat Kohli's. While Rahane recently steered India to a historic Test series win in Australia, Kohli is set to return to the helm for the upcoming clash against England. Ravichandran Ashwin has now stepped in to offer his thoughts on how the two differ.
During an interview with The New Indian Express, Ashwin argued that comparing the two is logically flawed because they have captained vastly different numbers of Tests. He noted that the public has simply shifted its focus to a new comparison, mirroring the previous obsession with comparing the leadership styles of Dhoni and Kohli.
Ashwin maintains that a leader's success is tied to the quality of the squad, asserting that India's victory was driven by the high caliber of the players themselves. Regarding the transition in Australia, he mentioned that when Virat left, Rahane stepping in was a smooth extension of the current setup, requiring only basic coordination on how to manage the group.
Because the team had prior experience playing under Rahane, the transition was effortless. Ashwin clarifies that he doesn't see this as a conflict in styles, but rather a reflection of their natural personalities. While Virat is known for being outspoken and highly expressive, Rahane is more reserved. Despite these personality differences, Ashwin believes their actual methods of leading the team are remarkably similar.